Franchise Tag

You might not have known this, but being forced to accept $7.2 million is like serving concurrent life sentences. It's hell to be Lance Briggs. H-e-l-l. There Briggs is at the NFL owners meetings in Arizona, accompanied by an honorable agent who probably is working pro bono, trying to make a cold world understand how the Bears have wronged him. He turned down a multiyear contract offer from the team last year, so they gave the money to other players and placed the franchise tag on...

Jimmy Graham is officially a tight end. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank ruled Wednesday that the New Orleans Saints star is a tight end, not a wide receiver, for franchise tag purposes. The NFL Players Association filed a grievance on behalf of Graham in May arguing that he deserved to be designated as a wide receiver under the franchise tag because he spent more time out wide and in the slot than at the line of the scrimmage, as a traditional tight end. The Saints will now franchise tag...

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: corrects numbers in franchise tag chart Eight teams use franchise tag Three players were designated non-exclusive franchise players by Monday's deadline, adding to the five that received tags Friday. All eight are permitted to field offers from other suitors in free agency. Two offensive tackles, two defensive tackles, a defensive end, linebacker, punter and safety were tagged before the 4 p.m. ET deadline. No player was named an exclusive franchise player,...

The Sports Xchange Packers retain Shields with four-year deal The Green Bay Packers re-signed cornerback Sam Shields to a four-year contract on Saturday. According to ESPN, the $39 million deal includes a signing bonus of $12.5 million and pays out $30 million in the first three years: $15 million in the first season, $6 million in the second and $9 million in the third. Shields' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the news on Twitter: "Congrats to RSR client Sam Shields & the...

The Sports Xchange Bears place franchise tag on Melton The Chicago Bears announced on Friday that they have used their franchise designation on defensive tackle Henry Melton. "Henry has been a good player for us and we are using the franchise tag so his development continues as a Bear," Bears general manager Phil Emery said in a statement. "We will continue our conversations with Henry and work toward a multi-year agreement. " The NFL has set $8.45 million as the franchise tag for...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Carolina Panthers - INSIDE SLANT The Panthers applied the franchise tag to defensive end Greg Hardy. The tender for defensive ends is $13.116 million. "We are very pleased that Greg will be back with the Panthers next season," head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement released by the team. "He was a big reason we were able to lead the league in sacks last year and keeps our defensive line intact. " Hardy, 25, had 15 sacks in 2013 and 11 in...

WASHINGTON -- An arbitrator ruled in favor of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in a franchise tag grievance. Brees, who is under the franchise tag for a second time in his career, will receive a hefty pay raise if he is franchised for a third time. Instead of being entitled to a 20 percent raise for a second franchise tag with one team, he will receive a 44 percent hike for a third career franchise designation. "We are very pleased that the arbitrator agreed with the...

Carolina's Greg Hardy: off the board. Washington's Brian Orakpo: off the board. The Chicago Bears will head toward free agency next week with an eye on upgrading their defensive line. Yet two of the big name pass rushers that were headed for the open market will now make $13.116 and $11.455 million respectively in 2014 to stay with their current teams under the franchise tag. (Hardy was tagged as a defensive end, Orakpo as an outside linebacker.) Only four players around the NFL...

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have placed the franchise tag on dynamic wide receiver Wes Welker. Welker will earn about $9.4 million in 2012, but the team and player aim to achieve a longer deal. "Wes Welker is a remarkable football player for our team and has been a vital component to our offense and special teams since we traded for him in 2007," the team said in a statement. "Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach an agreement,...

The Bears would have no problem paying Julius Peppers $14 million next season if they knew he could be a game-changer every Sunday, a pass-rushing force capable of wreaking havoc on quarterbacks. They also would find a way to make his $18.1 million salary-cap hit work for that kind of presence. But at 34 and coming off a subpar season that started slow after he missed three exhibition games and a good chunk of training camp with a hamstring issue, Peppers is nearing the...

Hours before the NFL's legalized tampering period opens leading into free agency, Henry Melton ensured his deal with the Bears is guaranteed for this season. Jordan Woy, Melton's agent, announced Friday that his client accepted the franchise tag offer, meaning Melton will sign an $8.45 million, one-year contract. The 2012 Pro Bowl performer still can negotiate a multi-year deal with the team through July 15, and Woy indicated the sides would work toward that. If no long-term...

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: fixing typo in headline Panthers apply franchise tag to DE Hardy The Carolina Panthers announced Friday that they applied the franchise tag to defensive end Greg Hardy. "We are very pleased that Greg will be back with the Panthers next season," head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement released by the team. "He was a big reason we were able to lead the League in sacks last year and keeps our defensive line intact. " Hardy would receive a...

The Sports Xchange Colts P McAfee signs franchise tag Punter Pat McAfee signed his one-year, $2.977 million franchise tender with the Indianapolis Colts. A seventh-round pick in 2009, McAfee has averaged a franchise-record 45.5 yards over his first four seasons. He has pinned 89 punts inside the 20-yard line and has 123 touchbacks as the kickoff specialist. He's coming off a 2012 season in which he set franchise single-season records for punting average (48.2), net punting average...

NFL Team Report - Indianapolis Colts - INSIDE SLANT Don't expect the Indianapolis Colts to go wild in the upcoming free-agent market. While the Colts will have approximately $33 million to spend this offseason, general manager Ryan Grigson says that the franchise will be a bit more selective when it comes to signing any prospective veteran free agents. With quarterback Andrew Luck and several other young players having expiring contracts in the next couple of offseasons, the Colts...

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: fixing typo in headline Panthers apply franchise tag to DE Hardy The Carolina Panthers announced Friday that they applied the franchise tag to defensive end Greg Hardy. "We are very pleased that Greg will be back with the Panthers next season," head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement released by the team. "He was a big reason we were able to lead the League in sacks last year and keeps our defensive line intact. " Hardy would receive a...

The Sports Xchange NFL Team Report - Cincinnati Bengals - INSIDE SLANT Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is going into the final year of his contract with two new coordinators and three new assistants. For some head coaches that would cause some angst, but Lewis seems energized. "I've got a new enthusiasm now working with new coaches. It's exciting," Lewis said. "We had to refresh and recharge. I got shocked back in my system losing the coaches right away and had to work...

NFL Team Report - Cincinnati Bengals - INSIDE SLANT Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is going into the final year of his contract with two new coordinators and three new assistants. For some head coaches that would cause some angst, but Lewis seems energized. "I've got a new enthusiasm now working with new coaches. It's exciting," Lewis said. "We had to refresh and recharge. I got shocked back in my system losing the coaches right away and had to work at that. We were able to...

The Sports Xchange Chiefs still considering re-signing OT Albert INDIANAPOLIS -- Earlier this month, a Kansas City radio station reported the Kansas City Chiefs had decided they were not going to attempt to re-sign left tackle Branden Albert, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent soon. At the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager John Dorsey said that was news to him. "This is the first I heard about it," Dorsey said. "We have ongoing conversations...